Common name: Persian Horned Viper
Scientific name: Pseudocerastes persicus
Family: Viperidae

Size:
SVL (snout-to-vent length): up to about 66 cm.

Identification:
A medium-sized, heavy-bodied viper with a broad head clearly separated from the narrow neck. Its most distinctive feature is the pair of prominent horn-like structures above the eyes, each formed from several small scales rather than a single elongated scale. It has small eyes with vertical pupils, a black tongue, and variable coloration with brownish-orange transverse bars along the back. The tail tip is black and may function as a lure for prey.

Habitat:
Dry, rocky mountain habitats with sparse vegetation. In Arabia, the species is restricted to the Hajar Mountains and their immediate surroundings, where it occupies rugged rocky terrain rather than open sandy desert.

Status in the UAE:
Native resident and highly localized to the Hajar Mountain region. The UAE reptile atlas records Pseudocerastes persicus as native, venomous, and not endemic to the UAE.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on small mammals, reptiles, and birds.

Behavior:
A secretive mountain viper. It may be found basking during the early morning and becomes active at night. When threatened, it can produce a loud hiss by forcefully exhaling through the nostrils as a warning before striking.

Venom:
Venomous. Its venom has myotoxic and hemotoxic effects, affecting muscle tissue and the blood/blood-vessel system. The species is included among the medically important terrestrial venomous snakes of the region.

Conservation Status:
Least Concern (LC) globally and Least Concern (LC) in the UAE assessment used by the Atlas of the Terrestrial Reptiles of the UAE.